Beatty residents are accustomed to seeing all manner of garbage littering the first mile or so of Highway 374 west of town. This mostly consists of things that escaped from poorly secured loads on their way to the town’s transfer bin site.
Recently, however, a series of more than a dozen small glass and ceramic constructions have appeared on a rocky ridge beside the road.
These objects, made by stacking and gluing things like bottles, jars, vases, and glass or ceramic dishware are purposeful creations. They are examples of something that has become a trendy craft project.
They are most commonly used as decorations in gardens or on patios. If you want to know more about them, do an online search for “garden totems.” They are easy to find on YouTube and on Pinterest.
Do the ones outside Beatty add interest and beauty to the landscape, or do they mar the view? Perhaps both? The answer is in the eye of the beholder.
Richard Stephens is a free-lance reporter living in Beatty.